UT improves wind tunnel measurements for low noise aircraft design

Aircraft noise is an irritating source of ambient noise and a significant cause of stress for local residents and animals in the vicinity of airports. Reducing aircraft noise is a major social issue in the Netherlands, as evidenced by the discussions on the permitted number of flight movements at Schiphol. A solution for reducing aircraft noise is to develop and validate noise reduction technologies. Marijn Sanders and Julian Biesheuvel of the University of Twente recently got PhDs for research into quieter aircraft. The main focus of 'Silent Approach' - the project for lower noise aircraft - was the noise caused in the landing configuration. At that moment, a significant part of the noise arises from the airflow around and interacting with specific parts of the aircraft such as the high lift devices - the slats on the front of the wings and the flaps on the rear of the wings. To achieve lower noise aircraft, attention needs to be paid to these parts when developing and using new technology.